Can-gripping device.



P. KRUSE. CAN GRIPPING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 9, 1912.

Patented Oct. 7

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER mines, or NEW YORK, N.Y., ASSIGNOR To E. w. BLISS COMPANY, or

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A coE-PoEA'rIoN or WEST VIRGINIA.

CAN-GRIPPING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 9, 1912, Serial No. 708,458.

. particularly useful in connection with ma chines wherein the gripping device is em? ployed as a traveling carrier for carrying cans or similar articles while the same are being treated, such for intsance as by having solder applied thereto.

The invention has for its object to provide asimple grippin device which shall with certainty seize an firmly hold the can or like article while it is being fed through the machine and treated, and which'shall with certainty discharge the said can or other article at the desired point.

.My invention consists in the traveling gripping device which is illustrated as supported at intervals from a continuous chain.

The gripping device comprises jaws which are relatively movable and are adapted to grip the can or other article between them, in combination with fixed guides between which the jaws travel and which serve to hold the jaws firmly gripped upon.

the article being carried.

Further, it consists in so constructing the said jaws that upon their emerging from the guides they will drop apart and release the can or other article, and in providing in connection with the jaws means whereby the same are brought together in position to enter the guides.

A desirable manner of constructing my invention and one use for the same, is illustrated in 'the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a machine for soldering cans illustrating my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is .a detail longitudinal section of one of my ,im--" proved gripping devices and the guides therefor illustrating a can gripped between the jaws; Fig. 3 is a detail view of the left handend of the machine as illustrated in Fig. 1, slightly enlarged, parts being shown in section; Fig. 4 is a transverse rsectlon on the line el4 in Fig. 2 looking to the left; Fig. 5 1s a hor zontal section on the line 5-5 in Fig. 2 looking down; Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of oneof the gripping devices.

I have illustrated my invention as supported from the links of a continuous sprocket chain A which passes over sprocket wheels a (1 The gripping devices which are supported at intervals from the said links comprise upper aws B which are fixed 1n po-sitlon upon the links, and lower jaws C which are pivotally supportedupon the upper aws, as for instance by a pivot c which passes through the forked end I) b of the upper jaw and likewise through a raised hub c on the lower jaw. The can is gripped between the said jaws, and for the purpose of efi'ectually gripping the same and holding the same at the'point of the jaws, the lower jawC is preferably made wath a slight bulge c at its forward lower s1 e.

The jaws are held together in grippin lower uides E. The upper guide D is preferably made in the form of a channel providing room for the sprocket chain A to pass through the same in the said channel without necessarily touching the guide. Depending side flanges a? 01 upon both sides are in position to engage the projecting sides 6 b of the upper jaw B as the same is carried along and to hold the same in gripping position. The lower jaw G is likewise provided with a fixed guide E which is also illustrated as of channel form but inverted in position with respect to the guide D.

This guide E is adapted to engage against the lower jaw C and to hold the same in gripping position. For this purpose the construction illustrated is well adapted. Here the said guide E is made troughshaped and is adapted to receive the guiding rib 6 upon the lower face of the lower jaw. The enlargement upon the said lower jaw causes the gripping effect to be pronounced at the point of the jaw where it is desired. The said jaws will securely hold a can as the gripping device travels from one end of the machine to the other throughout the entire length of the guides D E, and these guides extend from the pointwhere 1t 18 desired to grip the can unto the point where it is desired to discharge the can. When the jaws of a gripping device have passed be- Patented Oct. 7, 1913.

treated fed thereto.

around the sprocket wheel in its return j ourney, and the lower gripping jaw will lie in the position illustrated at the upper'part of Fig. 1. This jaw will occupy such position until it passes aroundthesprocket wheel a, whereupon the jaw will swin upon its pivot and point downward. At t is time atailpiece with which the said jaw is provided, and which is located to the rear thereof and projectsfrom one side of the gripping device, will engage against a cam G which is fixed in position, and will turn the jaw G upward sufiiciently so that the same shall pass within the flaring end e of the lower guide E (Fig. At this time the gripping device is in position to have a can head or other object to be gripped and The said can heads, etc., may be fed by hand if desired, or they may and preferably will be fed by suitable feeding devices, such as the means illustrated in my patent, dated January 21, 1913,

. The particular machine with which I have illustrated 'my invention, is one designed to apply solder to the can seam, and is a machine of the type illustrated in my said patent. The gripping devices, how-.

ever, illustrated in said patent are omitted,

and in place thereof my nnproved gripping devices are substituted. I 5

.Motion is given to the gripping devices 40 and to the can heads carried thereby from a pulley I through belt 2', pulley i worm 2' 2' shaft 2', bevel gears 71 2', shaft 2', bevel gears i 2' In the machine illustrated in Fig. 1, the cans having been suitably fed to the machine and gripped between jaws B C, are exposed to an acid bath from tankH through roller I. They are then treated by having solder applied thereto from tank K, as for instance by the roll illustrated in my said patent, but not here illustrated, and the cans are then brushed off if desired by a brush L. The cans are then conveyed by the carrier A to the end of the machine, where the guides-D E stop and the jaws B0 are released and the can F is discharged therefrom.

In Fig. 2 a can which is there lettered F is illustrated as being gripped betweenthe 0 jaws B C, and it will there be seen that the bulge upon the lower jaw'will be the part thereof which will press against the lower guide E and will cause the can to be gripped at the forward part of-the said jaws.

5'5 The articular construction ofparts illustrated comprises a flange M which ispendant from one of the links, for instance link N of the chain A. The upper jaw B is a and supporting the parts is notessential,

nor is my'invention limited to employment with cans, as other thin metal substances could equally well be treated.

While I have illustrated my invention as applied to a machine for soldering the cans, it is not limited in its usefulness to such machine and may be used with many other constructions of machines.

While I have described insome detail the particular manner of construction and oper ation of the various parts employed by me, it will be understood that I reserve the right to change the same, and to employ equivalent devices within the limits of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. A traveling device for grippingcans and the like, comprising a pair ofjaws pivotally connected, one of which is adapted to grip the inner surface of a can and the other of which is adapted to grip the outer surface of a can, a carrier for said jaws, fixed guides extending the length of the operativetravel of the jaws between which said jaws travel and which hold the jaws in gripping position upon a can, means for bringing said jaws together before they enter the guides, and said jaws adapted, to separate and re lease the can upon emerging from said guides. j

2- Atraveling device for gripping cans and thelike, comprising aifiupper jaw, a lower j aw pivoted thereto, upper and lower guides adaptedto hold said jaws in gripping position, said jaws adapted to'separate and release the can upon emerging from said guides, a tail-piece on said lower jaw, and a fixedprojection on the machine ada ted to be engaged by said tail-piece an swing the lower jaw to position to enter the lower guide.

3. A traveling device for gripping cansand the like, comprising an upper aw-,a

lower jaw pivoted thereto, fixed.- guides adapted to engage said jaws and to hold the same inposition, means for carrying said jaws, said lower jaw adapted to swing on'its pivot and to release the can upon emerging from its guide, a tail-piece on said lower jaw, and a fixed projection on the machine adapted to be engaged by said tail-plece and to swing the lower jaw to the lower of said guides.

4. A travel ing device for gripping cans and the like, comprising a flexible continu-- 'ous carrier, gripp ng devlces secured at inposition to enter tervals thereto, each comprising an upper jaw, a guide overlyinga portion of said jaw and adapted to hold the same against movement out of gripping position, a lower jaw pivoted to said upper jaw, and a channel guide holding said lowerjaw against movea hold them in gripping position.

ment out of gripping position.

5. A traveling dQVICBfOI gripping cans and the like, comprising a flexible continuouscarrier, gripping devices secured at intervals thereto, each comprising an upper jaw, a guide overlying a portion of said jaw and adapted to hold the same against move- .ment out of gripping position, a lower jaw pivoted to said upper aw, a channel guide holding said lower jaw against movement" out of gripping position, said lower jaw adapted to swing on its pivot and to release the can upon emerging from its guide, a tail-piece on said lower jaw, and a projection on the machine adapted to beengaged by said tail-piece and to swing the lower jaw to position to enter said channel 1 e. a 6. Devices for gripping cans and the like: comprising pivotally connected travelinggripping jaws arranged in pairs, one of which is adapted to grip the inner surface of a can and the other is adapted to grip the corresponding outer surface, fixed guides each adapted to directly engage one of said jaws and to press the said jaws together and 7. Devices for gripping cans and the like comprising pivotally connected traveling gripping jaws arranged in pairs, one of which is adapted to grip the inner surface of a can and the other is adapted to the corresponding outer surface, a 00111511111- ous chain carrying said. gripping devices,

fixed guides each adapted to engage one of,

said jaws and to press the said aws together and hold them in gripping position, and one of said guides providing a longitudinal channel for the passage of said chain carrier.

1 In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PETER KRUSE. Witnesses:

WALTHER THOMA, FREDK; G. FLADD.

floplcsotthhpchntmyboohtdnodfor in cent: Kim, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

, 'wllhlngton, D. G. 

